Chin lifted, my mother inserts herself. “Rhett, that’s enough for now. You’re working yourself up. Listen, why don’t we all go up to the beach house together? We were heading out there after lunch anyway. We can spend the weekend there and get this all sorted out.”
“What’s there to sort out, Ruth?” Rhett asks.
“You know the answer to that as well as I do, Rhett.” She glares at her husband, takes my hand, and we exit the restaurant.
I glance over my shoulder at Pippa, thankful she’s with her brother, but knowing that I do need to get this sorted out with my father and take the consequences like a man before I can ever expect her to respect me or spend the rest of her life with me.
After all, she’s an etiquette coach and the woman I want more than anything.
But first, it’s time to take care of business.
34
PIPPA
With everyone staring, I feel like I’m in the high school dining hall all over again. Someone even has their phone out—probably recording the whole thing. With my luck, it’ll spread online like wildfire and instead of #BruiserButt, #PippasProposalFail will be trending.
Standing there frozen, as Chase leaves, I wait for the laughter, for onlookers to point and whisper. Instead, my brother’s booming voice says, “Show’s over, folks. Go back to your meal, and if I find any of that online, you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” Then, in a lower voice, to me, he says, “I don’t quite understand what’s going on, but I know heart fluffies when I see them.”
“What do you know about heart fluffies?” I ask in the smallest voice.
“Just because I was a bit of a tough guy in high school doesn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention.”
With Phoebe still on the video call, Freddie and I return to the table—Rhett and Marlow disappeared after Chase and his mom left.
“What are you doing in Boston? I thought you were island hopping,” our sister asks through the phone.
“Just call it twin-tuition.”
“Seriously?” I ask.
His shoulder lifts and lowers. “I also had a layover between here and Hawaii. This place makes the best clam chowder in the city, so I had to stop. Well, technically, the little pub in Chatham by Chase’s family’s beach house has the best chowder, but I don’t have time for that. Although, give me a heart fluffies update.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Chase hurt you, I’ll make time to head out to Chatham and see how far he can swim...”
“The heart fluffies were fluffing just fine until Marlow inserted herself into the situation. A remote island sounds good right now. Or a cave. That would do too.”
“I’d invite you to come, but it seems you have unfinished business,” Freddie says.
“Chase’s father did mention something about business. From the moment we sat down, something felt off and Marlow’s appearance only confirmed that, but I cannot fathom why he’d want Chase to marry her.”
Through the phone, Phoebe says, “I’d like a full rundown.”
Liquid pierces the corners of my eyes and my voice wavers when I say, “Well, you know about the crush.”
Phoebe interrupts. “Wait. Close your eyes and visualize this. My arms are around you, hugging you. I have a slab of sticky toffee pudding, and I’m here to listen. Better yet, Freddie, hug her.”
He does. It’s like being wrapped in an old quilt, comforting and warm.
“Okay, now we want a full rundown.”
The clatter and chatter in the restaurant resume and I fill in my siblings about the last few weeks.
“The truth is, I want to be with Chase. I always have, but now it’s too late.”
“It’s never too late,” Phoebe says.
